© 2004 Lawrence Tuczynski

Title: Godzilla vs. The Thing
Japanese Title: Mosura tai Gojira
Movie also known as: Godzilla vs. Mothra,
Godzilla vs. The Giant Moth
CD Label: Toho Music Corporation
CD Number: G-004
Music by: Akira Ifukube
Number of tracks: 40
Running time: 71:03
Number of discs: 1
Year of release/manufacture: September 20, 2004
Year Movie Released in Japan: 1964
Year Movie Released in U.S.: 1964
DVD Released in U.S.: May 1998, SIMITAR #7474
Both Widescreen and Pan & Scan versions plus Dolby Digital 5.1 sound

REVIEW

November 05, 2004

Review by Larry Tuczynski

This disc is from the fourth Godzilla film and third for Akira Ifukube. He is really hitting his stride here and both this soundtrack and the movie are among my favorites in the series. On this disc as in the Futureland release TYCY-5348 Maestro Ifukube gives us now familiar Godzilla themes and marches that will be forever linked to the Godzilla series. It was also my first exposure to the musical harmonizing of Emi Ito (Birth name Hideyo Ito) and her twin sister Yumi Ito (Birth name Tsukiko Ito) known as the popular singing duo The Peanuts. In this movie as well as in "Mothra" they play the twin fairy's also known as Shobijin. I love their voices and the various Mothra songs. I sure you can tell that by the sheer number of CD's by The Peanuts elsewhere on this site. Also this soundtrack has a very beautiful, yet haunting piece of music that accompanies the Shobijin in many scenes called "The Little Beauty's Theme Song.

Unlike some of the other discs in this set, there is almost no resequencing of tracks. In fact, up until the bonus tracks there is only one track that has been resequenced over the Futureland release. The remastering of this disc does make the music and vocals seem clearer and brighter. When listening via my PC some tracks come off as too bright and raw but through my stereo system sound fine.

There are a total of 11 bonus tracks. None truly outstanding or much different from their counterparts in the main part of the disc. All are very good though and not done to death so it's a pleasant listening experience. This is another nicely done disc in this set.

The booklet contains 24 pages of information and pictures. Unfortunately for me it's all in japanese so I'll never know what it says. Page 2 (page 1 is the front cover) has the track listing and page 13 is supposedly the words to "Mahala Mothra" although it certainly doesn't look to me to be what I am hearing The Peanuts sing. Most of the booklet seems to be expanded information on each track.

Additional note from Sam Scali: I did a bit of research on the net - it appears that "Mahala Mothra" was sung in Tagalog (Filipino), while the lyrics to "Mothra's Song" are in Malay. This was undoubtedly done to make the songs sound more exotic to Japanese ears. The booklet for "G vs the Thing" shows the actual Tagalog words, not the Japanese translation of them.

U.S. Title: Godzilla vs. The Thing
Japanese Title: Mosura Tai Gojira

  1. Main Title (M1T2)
  2. The Rainbow-Colored Object (M2)
  3. The Giant Egg in the Waters off Shizunoura (M3)
  4. The Giant Egg Washes Ashore (M4)
  5. The Little Beauty's Theme Song (M5T2)
  6. Reflections of the Little Beauty (M6)
  7. Mothra on the Hilltop (M7)
  8. Mothra Leaves (M8)
  9. Background Music Inside the Hamakaze Hotel (M9)
  10. The Dome Goes Up in Flames (M10)
  11. Mysterious Radioactivity (M11)
  12. The Appearance of Godzilla (M12)
  13. The Compound Falls Under Siege (M13)
  14. Godzilla and Nagoya (M14)
  15. The Dome at Sunset (M15)
  16. Infant Island (M16)
  17. The Devil's Purification (M17)
  18. The Sacred Fountain (PS-99 Mix)
  19. Mothra's Song (PS-102)
  20. Mothra Sets Off (M18)
  21. Godzilla vs. The Tank Brigade (M19)
  22. Destruction of the Hamakaze Hotel (M20)
  23. Adult Mothra vs. Godzilla (M21)
  24. Plan A: Electrocution (M22)
  25. Plan B: Electrocution (M23)
  26. Mahala Mothra (PS-19PBMIX)
  27. The Birth of Baby Mothra (M24)
  28. Baby Mothra vs. Godzilla (M25)
  29. Ending (M26)

    30. BONUS TRACKS

  30. Main Title (M1T1)
  31. The Little Beauty's Theme Song (M5T1)
  32. From A Distant Island (M5 leit-motif)
  33. Attack To The Dune (M1)
  34. The Invulnerable Monster (M2)
  35. Sacred Fountain (Karaoke 1) (PS-99 karaoke T1)
  36. Sacred Fountain (Karaoke 2) (PS-99 karaoke T2)
  37. Infant Island Prayer (PS-19 karaoke T1)
  38. Infant Island Prayer (PS-19 karaoke T2)
  39. Mahala Mothra (DB11.PS-19RR)
  40. Mahala Mothra (DB12.PS-19RR)